Mardi Gras 2017: Evie's 6th Birthday at WDW*updated with Mardi Gras pics*

[dglilbit]

We went to a local state park to take pictures of her float by the swamp. Themes make me happy, lol! The plethora of pictures are below!



Ray staring lovingly at Evangeline


Mardi Gras Charlotte La Bouff, Naveen & Tiana


Louis, Frog Naveen, Frog Tiana & Mama Odie


Cypress trees made by Grandpa with bug-free moss added for decoration! Firefly stickers added by Evie to mimic the swamp scene in the move. The gold glitter paper around the float is also meant to mimic the fireflies in the movie. She also picked out and glittered all of the characters on the float.

 

[dglilbit]

More fun pictures of Evie's Pre-k Float!

 

[jmccoy18]

Her float is the cutest!!!! Good job

 

[dglilbit]

Her float is the cutest!!!! Good job

Thank you!!

 

[dglilbit]

TRIP UPDATE:

Looks like we will be staying at either the Polynesian or Contemporary!

LIFE UPDATE:

Evie dressed up as an old lady for her 100th day of school. She had a chain for her glasses, a broach, a scarf of mine for her shawl, a scrubs top for her dress, rolled down panty hose socks, white velcros shoes, some wrinkles drawn on her face and purple hair rolled by hand and pinned.

 

[Elevationist]

Looks like we will be staying at either the Polynesian or Contemporary!

Ooooohh! How exciting!!

Evie dressed up as an old lady for her 100th day of school. She had a chain for her glasses, a broach, a scarf of mine for her shawl, a scrubs top for her dress, rolled down panty hose socks, white velcros shoes, some wrinkles drawn on her face and purple hair rolled by hand and pinned.

Okay, that is adorable!

 

[dglilbit]

Ooooohh! How exciting!!

Okay, that is adorable!

I'm so excited and I think DH is on board with the Polynesian!

Thank you! I had a lot of fun dressing her up!

 

[MomoMama]

Great job on the float! It is beautiful!!

I do not normally read PTR, because I like to read about what actually happened(TR) rather than anticipations. Besides, reading those super-organized plans makes me feel uneasy, feeling like I am not doing enough preparations. But I am following yours... I don't have a current plan to visit WDW, but very curious to know about the Mardi Gras related events. Also curious to see your cutie pie's outfits! It is fun to see other mom-daughter who enjoy dress-up!

BTW, We went to Galveston for Family Gras last Sunday. We have been for the last few years, and have enjoyed the parade and getting beads every time. And our daughter is celebrating the 100th day at school today too..but no old lady outfits! Evie's pre-K school sounds so fun!

 

[Jasperann]

That float is so cute!!

That is also the perfect old lady costume! So creative.

 

[Steppesister]

Still here, hobbling along as best I can over the next few weeks. The float and that little cutie inside was So, SO fun! Great job!

Yay for the Poly- well, at least I hope it's the Poly. (Just my own personal bias, though. hehe)

 

[dglilbit]

Great job on the float! It is beautiful!!

I do not normally read PTR, because I like to read about what actually happened(TR) rather than anticipations. Besides, reading those super-organized plans makes me feel uneasy, feeling like I am not doing enough preparations. But I am following yours... I don't have a current plan to visit WDW, but very curious to know about the Mardi Gras related events. Also curious to see your cutie pie's outfits! It is fun to see other mom-daughter who enjoy dress-up!

BTW, We went to Galveston for Family Gras last Sunday. We have been for the last few years, and have enjoyed the parade and getting beads every time. And our daughter is celebrating the 100th day at school today too..but no old lady outfits! Evie's pre-K school sounds so fun!

Thank you so much! This weekend we are celebrating Mardi Gras and then Tuesday is the big day. I'll be posting lots of pictures!
I love Galveston! Sounds like fun, we'll have to look into next year!

Evie has a wonderful pre-k teacher and school. We are really enjoying all the theme events!

 

[dglilbit]

That float is so cute!!

That is also the perfect old lady costume! So creative.

Thank you!

My dad was so funny this week. We didn't do anything for 100th day of school when me or my siblings were in school so that is something new. He was fascinated by the little kids dressing up as old people. And the kids were off yesterday because of teacher in-service. Thursday he kept asking if "Grandma" was coming over, referring to Evie. It was so funny how much he talked about Evie dressing up as an old lady. He thought it was too funny!

 

[dglilbit]

Still here, hobbling along as best I can over the next few weeks. The float and that little cutie inside was So, SO fun! Great job!

Yay for the Poly- well, at least I hope it's the Poly. (Just my own personal bias, though. hehe)

Hey Hey Hey! Yes, you are crazy busy!!!

Thanks for the compliment on the float!

I told DH that the disboards approved of the Poly!

 

[dglilbit]

This report shows some great info for the Poly: Stroke of Genius or Just Plain Heat Stroke August 2016 at the Poly.

From the report referenced above:
"We stayed in Rarotonga and it was super convenient to the main lobby, and the monorail. It was a short walk to the TTC too."

 

[dglilbit]

We had a full Mardi Gras weekend! Southwest Louisiana truly has a family friendly, but no less exhausting, Mardi Gras celebration!

Friday night we met up with the Jeep Club to watch the Merchant's Parade. Evie had a lot of fun playing with the kids and catching beads! DH had (still has) an issue with his foot so my mom, Evie and I went to the parade while he rested at home.



Saturday my mom, Evie and I hit up the Gumbo Cook-off. For a $5 entry fee each for my mom and me and free for Evie, it was a deal that couldn't be beat! There were tons of chicken and sausage gumbo and seafood gumbo to taste. We tapped out after 5 small bowls. One of Evie's favorite foods is gumbo so she definitely had a great time!

Locals and visitors will enjoy the Cajun Extravaganza Gumbo Cook-off that attracts thousands of locals and nationwide visitors to its hot contest for the best chicken and sausage or wild game gumbo. You will not want to miss this taste-from- every-pot event or the hot Southern and Cajun music that comes along with it. Mardi Gras never tasted so good!



There was both Cajun....and Rap music playing while people were trying gumbo. You can't tell but behind the dance area was PACKED with people.

After the Gumbo Cook-off we went to the little fair by the Civic Center and attended the Krewe of Omega Parade. That was a rather miserable experience at first because it was so cold and rainy. It cleared up and we ended up walking down to where the end of the parade passes and experienced the parade in the sunshine as well!



After that we wanted to attend the Krewe of Barkus parade but couldn't figure out where it was located.
Hopefully in another 2 years we can manage to make it! Here are some pictures from past Krewe of Barkus parades.

Several weeks before Mardi Gras, when I wasn't thinking about how busy our weekend would be, I bought tickets to the rodeo. Some friends from when Evie was in daycare were going as well and we were able to score seats next to one another. Evie had a great time! (And I got her to wear her admittedly not cowboy but still boots, win for me!)

 

[dglilbit]

Sunday there were a lot of events going on including a children's day at the Civic Center, but we decided to stick to just riding on the float for the Jeep Club. We got there at 10 AM to help get the float ready. The Jeep Club had to borrow a float this year but going forward will have its own float with more involved decorations. For now, the decorating was to put banners over the borrowed float. The parade didn't start until 2 PM so there was a lot of waiting as well but once it got underway it was a fun time!

After Sunday, we were done!

We missed the Royal Gala on Monday (Lundi Gras)...

The Cinderella night of Mardi Gras manifests on Mardi Gras eve with a lavish promenade of more than 60 krewes’ royalty in extravagant, glittering costumes before residents and visitors to the Lake Charles Civic Center Coliseum, held the evening before Mardi Gras day.

Kings and queens, royal dukes and duchesses, captains, courtesans, and jesters in museum quality costumes will be in full display.

Some friends were the king and queen in one of the Krewes and here is their picture from the Royal Gala.



...and we missed the Krewe of Krewes parade on Tuesday (Mardi Gras) but we were not up for them this year. We were well past our peak at that point. Overall, we had a fun and successful Mardi Gras!

Enough partying, now praying! I gave up sweets for Lent and am focusing on prayer.

 

[Steppesister]

So much fun! What a great family-friendly way to have a good time, eat good food, and dress up. My kinda day!

 

[dglilbit]

So much fun! What a great family-friendly way to have a good time, eat good food, and dress up. My kinda day!

It was SO much fun! I absolutely LOVE Mardi Gras season!

 

[dglilbit]

The trip planning is still on-going but making any reservations is waiting on bonus and raise time to get a clear picture of the budget. We will know more by the end of this month/early March.

In the mean time, we continue with Evie's school events. I got an automated call from her school today saying that Friday they can dress up like their chosen career. She is really into science right now and has asked for science presents for her 5th birthday. Mama is proud!

We are also looking into summer options for her since we both work. Camps and some of the schools have summer care as well. I really want her to have a great summer and to not just be babysat so I'm looking into several options.

 

[MomoMama]

Evie has such a great smile.
So many Mardi Gras fun...wish we had more family-friendly Mardi Gras events too!